The Tribune

CHAMBER VOICE

By Ian Ferguson

Some years ago, companies were facing the all-important question of whether or not to take their business online or not. Today, while some in our corporate environment are still grappling with this very question, technology has flooded our corporate world. Companies serious about competing globally and sustaining their operations have committed themselves to a strong online presence.

Online presence today may incorporate the Facebook, YouTube, Twitter pages and the local company website and company blog. Our conversation seeks to push us further towards greater accessibility for our goods and services by allowing our customers the opportunity to view and purchase goods from the Internet.

With the exception of the airline industry, utility corporations and a few other essential services, very few companies have provided the convenience of shopping online to their customers. Businesses need to know that a paradigm shift has occurred. To be or not to be online is no longer an option. The statistics are clear: Small businesses that take the initiative to sell online make great strides in their sales and profitability.

Today, we provide reasons for making the investment to offer your company’s goods and services online:

• The Internet has created a new economy, and the traditional way of doing business no longer exists. Even smaller companies will find it very advantageous to build online businesses.

• The Internet is a perfect venue for business. You are able, with some marketing, to have tremendous traffic to a company’s site.

• Having an Internet presence speaks to a company’s image. People do not take companies seriously if they refuse to take their business online.

• With online presence you have better customer service support. Greater customer service efficiency means better customer satisfaction and an increase in profitability.

• Online business means that information is more readily available to customers. You can add and update changes to your company’s product-related content in a matter of hours.

• Cost cuts are another benefit of online business. Companies can reduce a great percentage of their maintenance, repair and operational costs by adopting e-business solutions. This percentage savings can turn into a company’s net profit!

• Online services give you the ability to do business 24 hours per day.

• Establishing an Internet business requires low start up costs.

• Your physical presence could be in any location with online business. The World Wide Web allows you to do business from any part of the world. Your physical location, except for a few cases, is not that important since you conduct your business online

• Thanks to the Internet you can instantly become a global player. In fact, you don’t have to invest large sums of money to do this. There are literally hundreds of vertical and horizontal e-marketplaces available on the net.

NB: Ian R. Ferguson was educated locally, regionally and internationally, having earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Miami. During the course of his nearly 20 years in education, talent management and human resources, he has served both the public and private sector in senior management roles. He currently serves as manager of the Chamber Institute, and as a local consultant in the field, having assisted hundreds of local and regional businesses in improving business and service excellence through their human capital.